'House of M'

I decided because it’s one of my favorite Marvel Comics storylines we should delve a little deeper into House of M. This storyline was included in my article about Scarlet Witch as supporting evidence as to why she’s is the strongest hero in the Marvel Universe (a position I stand by wholeheartedly).

At the start of this storyline Wanda’s powers have reached their peak and her mental state is more than fragile. Professor X tells Magneto that his powers are no longer enough to hold back Wanda's abilities and that a permanent solution must be found (Yup, Professor X can't contain Scarlet Witch, just saying).

Professor X calls for a meeting of the X-Men and the Avengers to discuss what is to be done about controlling Wanda’s powers. Emma Frost suggests that killing Scarlet Witch is the only way to protect the world from her powers (go ahead and try). Professor X enlists Doctor Strange to help Wanda, but neither are a match for her magical abilities. Quicksilver goes to his father and explains that he has heard the Avengers plans to kill Wanda, soon after that mutants start disappearing one by one.

Spider-man, the last hero standing, soon gets swallowed by a white light and when the light subsides the world is different. All heroes wake up in a happier, altered version of their world. Wolverine is the first to realize that the new world is a lie, a world where Homo superior rule the world. Wolverine, on his way to looking for Spider-man or Tony Stark, finds the Human Resistance Movement, led by Luke Cage. Wolverine tells Luke Cage a theory he has heard before, originally presented to him by Layla Miller, that Scarlet Witch created this new world that allowed mutants to be granted their deepest wishes. The two then track down all the heroes they can find in their new lives as Layla awakens their true memories.

Magneto receives representatives from around the world to commemorate the mutant triumph over humanity. The heroes attack Magneto and the mutants he houses while a group of heroes, including Emma Frost and Doctor Strange, go looking for Professor X. They find an empty gravestone with Xavier's name.

Scarlet Witch disappears from the battlefield and is discovered by Doctor Strange in a tower with her two children. As the two talk, Wanda reveals that it was Quicksilver that prompted her to create a happier, near-perfect world in order to protect herself. Emma wants to know the truth about what happened to Professor X but before Wanda can offer any explanation, Hawkeye (alive in this universe) shoots her in the back with an arrow. Distraught and in pain, one of Wanda's sons kill Hawkeye (seemingly sealing his death).

As this is happening, Magneto confronts Emma Frost and Layla Miller, who tell Magneto the truth about the state of the new world and how it came to be. Angry, he unleashes his wrath on everyone, including his son Quicksilver. His anger results in Quicksilvers death, causing Scarlet Witch to resurrect her hear brother. She begins to lash out, saying, "We're freaks, Mutants ... You chose this over us and you ruined us ... Daddy!" She then utters "No more mutants." The white light, then returns.

The white light subsidies and seemingly the world returns to normal. The Avengers come together to try to make sense of what happened that night, only to be confronted by a distraught Doctor Strange who tells the group that the events of the new world really took place and its effects are slowly being felt on a wider scale.

Here we get to see the scope of Scarlet Witches power, driven by anger and grieve with three words she has caused the students of Professor X's school to lose their mutant abilities. Emma Frost uses Cerebro to scan the world for mutant activity, learning that the number of mutants in the world has dropped from millions to just a few hundred. Wolverine remains the only one with the ability to remember the past, the X-Men go looking for Magneto, finding him powerless and clueless about the whereabouts of his children.

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, Hank Pym warns that these powers being lost by mutants can't simply vanish, but are contained somewhere. A red ribbon of energy begins to surround the Earth, implying the return of the Phoenix Force; signaling the beginnings of the "Avengers vs. X-Men" storyline.

We get no explanation as to Quicksilvers disappearance until Son of M and House of M and its aftermaths are explained and added upon during the Secret Invasion storyline. I believe that this is one of Marvel Comics best storylines, of course, because it gives my girl Scarlet Witch the recognition that she deserves, but also because it allows for more stories to build on top of it. It is one of the strongest building blocks for future major storylines.